Concerns over proposals to extend quarry works

Angry residents are putting forward a string of objections to proposals to extend sand extraction works at a quarry near Storrington.

Britaniacrest Recycling is seeking planning approval from West Sussex County Council to carry on extraction works at Washington Sand Pit, Sullington, for a further two years - until December 2019. It also wants permission to vary the numbers of lorries going to and from the site.

But nearby residents are worried about an increase in traffic in the area and mud and debris left on local roads.

In a letter of objection to the county council, one worried resident said: “There is a huge amount of debris left on the road from the entrance to the site all the way to Washington roundabout.

“This constitutes both a physical hazard as extremely slippery when wet and causing environmental damage as the mud builds up. An increase in traffic will make the situation far worse.”

Another resident objects to ‘increased noise and air pollution from the HGVs ; increased heavy duty traffic on an already busy and dangerous road and further disruption to local wildlife’.

Another objector living in Storrington says: “If this volume of additional large HGV traffic were to be allowed, traffic backlog in both Hampers Lane and on the A283 would be further affected. It is already very busy there.

“It would also impact on the flow of traffic into and out of Storrington, which is already congested with traffic and lorries too large for the area.

“In addition, nearby homes would suffer from an industrial level of HGV noise, dirt and pollution.”

However, SLR Consultancy, acting on behalf of Britaniacrest, says that the “two additional years of mineral extraction would enable the recovery of all the remaining sand reserves at the quarry, whilst still allowing the overall restoration of the site to be completed within the originally permitted timescales of 1 May 2020. Therefore the overall life of operation at the site would not be extended beyond that originally permitted.

“Sand extraction and restoration operations would continue in a phased manner as they have for the previous two years and all the existing environmental controls at the site would continue to apply.”